Purple foliage and flowers bring a sense of luxury and sophistication to any garden, offering a stunning contrast to traditional greens. In Australia, gardeners are increasingly choosing purple plants to add colour depth, especially since these varieties often stand out beautifully against native Australian landscapes. Purple plants bring a mix of textures, vibrant blooms and unique foliage to gardens, creating a captivating visual experience year-round.
Why Choose Purple Plants for Your Garden?
Purple plants not only add beauty but also serve a variety of functional purposes in the garden:
- Aesthetic Appeal: Purple plants contrast beautifully with other colours, especially greens, whites, and yellows, creating focal points in any landscape.
- Pollinator Attraction: Many purple flowering plants attract pollinators, enhancing biodiversity in the garden.
- Versatile Use: Purple plants can be used in borders, ground covers, hedging and even as indoor plants, making them highly versatile.
List Of Purple Plants To Consider For Your Australian Garden:
Wisteria Sinensis Blue/Purple
Wisteria Sinensis is a show-stopping climber known for its long, cascading clusters of blue-purple flowers. This vigorous vine brings a dramatic elegance to trellises, arbors, or pergolas, especially in spring when it’s in full bloom. The flowers have a delicate fragrance, adding an extra layer of sensory appeal.
- Height: Can grow up to 10 meters when supported.
- Care: Wisteria prefers full sun and needs strong support to thrive. Prune after flowering to control growth and encourage further blooms.
A perfect choice f or large garden spaces, Wisteria Sinensis creates a beautiful, shaded area when trained over structures, adding vertical interest and colour to your garden.
Liriope Muscari Purple
A favorite for borders and ground cover, Liriope Muscari Purple (often called Lilyturf) produces dense tufts of grass-like foliage with striking spikes of purple flowers in late summer. It’s ideal for creating texture and filling out the base of garden beds.
- Height: Reaches about 30-40 cm.
- Care: Thrives in full sun to partial shade and is quite drought-tolerant once established.
Liriope Muscari is a low-maintenance plant that looks fantastic in mass plantings, and it works well in both modern and traditional landscapes.
Rhododendron, Purple Splendour
The Rhododendron Purple Splendour is a bold flowering shrub that produces clusters of large, vibrant purple flowers with dark centers. Known for its rich, saturated colour, it adds dramatic impact to shaded or partially shaded areas of the garden.
- Height: Grows up to 2 meters.
- Care: Prefers acidic, well-drained soil and requires regular watering. Rhododendrons enjoy cooler climates and some protection from the hot afternoon sun.
For gardens looking to add a burst of colour to shaded areas, Rhododendron Purple Splendour is an excellent choice. Its rich blooms attract butterflies, bringing additional life to your garden.
Syringa Vulgaris Congo Purple Lilac
A classic favorite for fragrance and colour, Syringa Vulgaris Congo (Purple Lilac) features clusters of dark purple flowers that bloom in spring. This plant is cherished for its delightful fragrance and traditional appeal.
- Height: Typically grows 2-3 meters.
- Care: Needs full sun and well-drained soil. Lilacs are hardy and can tolerate some frost.
Purple Lilac is ideal for cottage-style gardens or as a stand-alone feature shrub. It brings timeless beauty and a nostalgic scent, enhancing outdoor spaces with a vintage charm.
Callistemon Purple Splendour
Callistemon Purple Splendour (Bottlebrush) is a unique Australian native with vibrant purple bottlebrush-like flowers that attract pollinators, especially bees and birds. Its dense foliage makes it suitable for hedging and screening.
- Height: Reaches about 2-3 meters.
- Care: Prefers full sun and is highly drought-tolerant. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape.
This hardy plant is perfect for gardens looking to add a touch of native beauty with a pop of purple. Callistemon Purple Splendour is low-maintenance, making it an excellent choice for busy gardeners.
Boronia Purple Jared
Boronia Purple Jared is a compact shrub that produces an abundance of purple bell-shaped flowers in spring, providing colour and fragrance to shaded areas. Known for its aromatic leaves, this plant brings an additional sensory element to the garden.
- Height: Grows up to 1 meter.
- Care: Needs well-drained soil and partial shade. Regular watering is important, especially during dry periods.
For gardeners looking to add fragrant beauty to shady spots, Boronia Purple Jared is a wonderful option. Its unique scent and delicate flowers make it a favorite for sensory gardens.
Lavender Ploughman’s Purple
A staple in Australian gardens, Lavender Ploughman’s Purple is known for its dense spikes of fragrant purple flowers and silver-green foliage. Lavender not only adds colour but also deters pests, making it a practical addition to vegetable or herb gardens.
- Height: Typically reaches 40-50 cm.
- Care: Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Regular pruning after flowering encourages bushy growth.
Lavender Ploughman’s Purple brings a touch of Provence to any garden and is perfect for creating borders, herb gardens, or containers.
Agapanthus Poppin Purple
Agapanthus Poppin Purple is a stunning variety with deep purple flowers that stand out against its strap-like green foliage. This compact plant is excellent for borders, rockeries, or as a focal point in pots.
- Height: Grows up to 60 cm.
- Care: Tolerates full sun to partial shade and requires minimal maintenance. Agapanthus is drought-resistant once established.
With its bold blooms, Agapanthus Poppin Purple adds colour and structure, particularly when planted en masse along pathways or in beds.
Acacia Baileyana Purpurea (Purple Cootamundra Wattle)
The Purple Cootamundra Wattle is a unique Australian native known for its striking purple foliage that adds depth and contrast to gardens. In late winter to early spring, it produces yellow flowers that provide a beautiful contrast to the purple leaves.
- Height: Grows up to 6 meters.
- Care: Prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It is tolerant of drought and frost once established.
For those looking to add native flair with a twist, Purple Cootamundra Wattle is a fantastic choice, offering both stunning foliage and seasonal blooms.
Mesembryanthemum Pigface Starry Mauve
Pigface Starry Mauve is a low-growing ground cover with succulent foliage and starry, mauve-purple flowers that bloom from spring to summer. Its hardy nature makes it ideal for coastal and rocky areas.
- Height: Grows to about 10-15 cm.
- Care: Thrives in full sun and sandy, well-drained soil. Pigface is very drought-tolerant, making it perfect for low-maintenance landscapes.
This vibrant ground cover is perfect for adding colour to difficult areas such as slopes, rockeries, or coastal gardens.
Bring the Beauty of Purple Plants to Your Garden with Online Plants
If you are looking to add elegance, colour and diversity to your garden, Online Plants, a leading plants nursery Melbourne, offers a wide selection of purple flowering and foliage plants perfect for Australian gardens. Our selection includes favourites like Wisteria Sinensis, Liriope Muscari, Rhododendron Purple Splendour and more, all delivered to your door across Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane and regional areas.